IEA-PVPS warns soiling costs solar industry billions per year
The International Energy Agency’s Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA-PVPS) says dust, pollution, and debris on solar panels reduce output by 4% to 7% worldwide, costing the industry billions of euros annually and making tailored mitigation increasingly urgent.
A few micrograms of particulates enough to affect PV power generation
New research from South Korea has shown that even a 10 μg/m3 increase in atmospheric particulate matter can considerably reduce solar power generation and impact revenue of PV system owners.
Fracsun introduces AI-powered solar soiling loss simulator tool
Dust, dirt, and debris can cause losses to solar production. Fracsun introduced software for measuring potential losses at a given project location.
Solar panel cleaning with electromagnetic waves
Three companies, including Massachusetts startup Sol Clarity, are experimenting with electrodynamic screen systems to clean solar panels using minimal electricity and no water.
Sunrise brief: Solar decommissioning plans for 36 U.S. states
Also on the rise: FERC’s proposed rule would harm consumers and the energy transition, DOE announces over $450 million for solar-plus-storage in Puerto Rico and Nextracker to deliver 3 GW of trackers to Leeward Renewable Energy.
AI-enabled PV soiling loss database and simulator
Fracsun announced a partnership with App Orchid to introduce a soiling loss database and simulation tool.
Sunrise brief: New York grid operator advances 3 GW of solar, storage projects
Also on the rise: Accelerating community solar in underrepresented communities. Soiling – a multibillion-dollar issue for the solar industry. And more.
Soiling – a multibillion-dollar issue for the solar industry
A new report by the International Energy Agency’s Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA-PVPS) estimates that lost revenue from PV module soiling amounts to more than $3.2 billion per year, an amount that is only set to increase as PV systems grow larger and more efficient.
The panel and the city
Researchers have investigated how rooftop PV systems may affect air and building temperature in urban environments and, conversely, how the urban heat island (UHI) effect may have a negative impact on PV system performance. Their work considered urban air temperature, urban air pollution, the partial shading of the PV system, soiling, building heating and cooling loads, and outdoor shade.
Solar-optimized data logger
NRG Systems released the LOGR-S Data Logger, designed for utility-scale solar resource monitoring.
